UNITED AUTO WORKERS have stuck the three Detroit car manufacturers (Shutterstock).

With no agreement on a contract in place, 13,000 auto workers set down their tools and began targeted strikes against the “Big Three” of General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (parent company of Chrysler) at midnight.

The labor actions hit plants in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio, according to the Associated Press. The United Auto Workers are seeking raises, but also improved working conditions, a restoration of traditional pension plans and a shorter work week without a reduction in wages.

Disruption of auto manufacturing is considered likely for not only the automakers for also for other businesses that supply parts and materials to them.

Russia and North Korea getting closer

KIM JONG UN and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2019 (Wikipedia).

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in eastern Russia on Friday, signaling increased cooperation between the two nations.

The New York Times is reporting that Russia is expected to negotiate the purchasing of arms from North Korea to continue its war in Ukraine.

The almost-constant conflict has depleted the arsenal of the warring nations, but Ukraine is receiving massive aid from the United States and other Western allies,

Jong Un inspected strategic bombers said to be capable of carrying and deploying nuclear weapons.

Libyan death toll is rising

Flooding in North Africa has killed at least 11,300 people, with the count eventually being as high as 20,000.

According to United Press International, the Libyan Red Crescent – similar to the Red Cross – about one-fifth of people living in the port city of Derna may have perished when an earthquake broke a dam and released a flood of water.

Political divisions are being baked for a lack of maintenance at the dam.

Weather: The week of the 70s

If you like consistency, you’ll like the weather outlook for our West Orange County area. For the next four days – beyond that, actually – we will have clouds in the morning and sunshine in the afternoon. Daytime highs should be in the mid-70s each day  with evening lows ranging from 61 to 66. That should take us through the end of the month.